Container for cut flowers and the like



July 20, 1937. c. MoRTENsoN 2,087,259

CONTAINER- FOR CUT FLOWERS AND TH LIKE Y Filed May les,` 1935 2 sheets-sheet 1 JulyI 20, 1937. C. MORTENsoN CONTAINER Foa CUT FLowERs AN'D'THE LIKE Filed May 16, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mm wlw gm S n.

CII

Patented July 20, 1937 UNITED .STAT-Es CONTAINER Foa cUTFLoWERs .AND THE LIKE v Clemens Mortensen, Cromwell, Conn., assignor -of one-half to Edwin E. Sage Application May 16, 1935, lSerial No. 21,'701

8 Claims.

This invention relates to containers or packages for use in shipping cut flowers and the like.

It is the usual practice inpreparing cut flowers for shipment to the market "to pick the flowers and then cut the stems to lengths depending upon the size and condition of the blooms. `The flowers lof the most `desirable size and inthe bestof `con-- dition are left with long stems, and-these are-sold as of the first grade. The flowers of smaller sizes :and those not -in prime condition -have their stems cut to lesser lengths. The flowersare then sorted. vinto 'different `groups according to the lengths of their stems, and the graded 'ilowers are tied into bunches of twenty-veand placed-in water until they are 4to be shipped. *To ship-the same, the several vbunches of Alowers -of 'the same grade are successively untied,-and the flowerslaid in superimposed layers of `twenty-five, for example.' inltheshipping Ibex, there being placed between adjacent layers a piece "of -water-proofed paper. The shipping boxes'areshippedfto market -where the commission menor l-dealersexarnine :the flowers and bid for them laccording to their `size and condition." The manner of packing the Sflowers as heretofore Apracticed objectionable for many reasons. The flowers are handledquite 'afew times, and lin spitefof the carewhich may be taken it isfquite likely vthat some of the flowers will become bruisedor injured. 'The flowers `are notwell protected duringshipment.` and they cannot `be easily `and readily examined by the market men without likelihoodof further injury.

The `aim of the present invention is -to provide an .improved .package `or container, the use of which will reduce 'the number of timesthat the vflowers need to be handled -in preparing them for the market, Aand which will `permit `of ready .examination of the' flowers =by :the commission vmenv without taking" the flowers fromthe shipping box, thus materially reducing `the extent to which `the .ilowers are likely `tobe fbruised o r I'injured, and, therefore, insuring `that la better ,pric'ezbe obtained. VMy improvedconltainer is'such that the flowers, after they have been vsorted -or V graded, may be Vplaced :directlyli'nto the container without the necessity of first tying 4the flowers into. bunches and then un'tying the bunches. `Theizlowers,are. eifectively protected during shipment, and :they may 'bei examined by fthe `market men 'Withlittle 'trouble and with small likelihood .of injury to the owers".

A `further Vaim of the invention lis to provide a container of this character which tis .characterized by its extreme .simplicity :inhconstruction by r the economy withwhichitmay be manufactured,

by the ease and facility with which the owers may be arranged and secured therein, and by its eifectiveness in use.

Other objects will Vbe in part obvious, and in partpointed'out more in detail hereinafter.

rIhe invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements land arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter set "10 forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated'in the appended claims.

f v1n the accompanying drawings whereinI have shown, for illustrative purposes, one embodiment whichA `the present invention may take:

-Figure 1 `is a view showing the container laid out flat with-one'section ready to receive flowers. Fig. "2 is yan ledge view of the container as shown -in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a viewjs'imilar to Fig. 1 `but showing -one flower supporting lsection folded over the section which supports the rst layer of flowers.

Fig. 4-`is a view showing the container completely' fo'lded up into final form ready to be placed in a shipping box, land Fig. i5 is-a vview locking at the right-hand edge fo'fthe Afolded container but with the flap D not folded over the section B, the thickness of the paper being somewhat exaggerated, several portions being somewhat more separated than in practice fin order vthat the disclosure will be somewhat clearer. .Referringjto -the drawings in detail, my improved container may vbe formed of relatively "heavy paper 4orsimilar material which has been water-proofed. If desired,` the container may -comprise a blank, as shown in the drawings. It lhas va first flower carrying section or portion A and a second Aflower carrying section B connected t0 one edge of the rst section (in the present instance, to the 'bottom edge) and adapted to `be foldedover that section along the crease'or lfold, line '9. At `the side edges of `the section A are llaps C and D which are adapted to be folded `over the section B along the crease or fold lines '10 after the section .B has been folded over the sectionA. The aps C and D may be provided at .their lower ends with VWings Il which extend `beyond the lower edge of the section A. .By preference, there is secured to the normally upper-*edge of the section B a strip or piece l2 of paper which lis .relatively softer than the main .orasi-milarrmaterial. Therealso may besecured i' Asecuring and holding the flowers on these sections in parallel, spaced apart relation. More particularly, and to this end, the section A has spaced from its...upperedge a .transversely extending fold which formsa V-shapedriib 20.V This rib is provided with spaced 'apart notches or openings 2| of suitable configuration and through.. j which the stems, adjacent the blooms, are adapted to extend. In the present instance'ythese openings or notches 2| are shown as being of genl graded or sorted, as heretofore.

erally dumb-bell shape, the same Yhaving circular ends and restricted poitionsbetweenjthecircular ends. The section B has a rib or fold 2 which is identical to the rib v2|). n 22 are designated by the numeral 23. Thel rib 22, when the section Bis folded over'sectio'nl A;-- is spaced below. the rib. ZILfandthenotches 23 are in'stagger'ed relation to;v the notches 2|:

When it is desired to ship flowers with the use of myimproved container ,or package, the stems of the'flowers are cut to size, and the flowers are However, instead of tying Vthe flowers into bunches o f twenty-five and then untying them again,l the flowers n are taken directly from the sorted groups and placed into my improved folder. vAsity is the custointo 'separate the flowers into divisions of twenty-five each, I Yhave shown the two sections. of my con- Vtainer as having atotal of. twenty-five slots, there being thirteen l.slots 2|".fand twelve slots 23. The operator, when all of these slots have been filled withowers will know thathe `hast-wenty-flve inthe package, thus eliminating the necessity of counting and the likelihood of errorin such counting.. InV securing .the flowers in the folder, the folder-is laid out flat, as shownin Eig. 1, and onelayer offlowers is secured-to threwrib v2|) by inserting the stems, adjacent th'eblooinsthrough thev restricted portions of theslots 2| and moving theni down into theroundportions of these slots. After therst layer vis secured in place, the section B'isfolded over'section Ato the position shownfinf Fig. 2, and--then-.the'slots 23 ofthe rib 22 are lled' with flowers. A"i'hen the flaps C and D are folded over the section B. Any suitable securing means may. beemployed forholding the flaps in folded'o'ver condition, nosecuring means being shown` in the present', instance asrthe particular typethereof isimmaterial. l,If desired,

' a'. stringv maybe wrapped 'around'.jthe folded up .assemblyl The .filledfoldedup containers may be placed in a'shipping lboxfwith the lower edges of thewings engaging thebottom ofthe box and the 'containers inclined slightly. .rearwardly out of vertical.v I

It will 'be observed, from Figs, 4

and, 5, that 'whent'he containeris folded up, 'thel Y Vflowers of the rst layer are interposed betweenthe fffm ' two sections A and B and the waxed soft sheet |2 covers and protects the blooms 'of'the rst layer. The flowers which aremoun'tedo'n the section B lare interposed between that section and thefflaps C and D, and the waxed-paper pieces |31and' |4 protectA the blooms of these-flowers'. During handling of` the filled containersV and shipment thereof, the flowers are-held in their spaced relation. and `are `effectively protectediagainst injury.

V arranging'the,flowers inA any. other'package.

.r1 .manyfhanssscould loe-made in. the. above The notches in. the rib '.vention herein described and all statements of the Iscope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Iiclaim as my invention: 1. A container for cut flowers and the like having a flower supporting section, provided, adjacent its upper end, with a transversely extending V- shaped, fold projecting outwardly from the plane of saidv section, said fold having spaced apart slotted openings adapted to receive and hold the stems ofthe flowers adjacent the blooms thereof, said container also having a flap adapted to be folded over said section and in covering relation with the flowers carriedthereby. l l Y 2. A container for cut flowers` and the like formed of water-proofed paper having a flower carrying sectionfprovided, adjacent its lupper end, with Ja transversely extending V-shaped fold having notches Awith enlarged endsY and vvrestricted .connecting portions, said notches Ybeing adapted @receive the Stems Qf. the flowers. adiantihe Iblooms thereof, said container also havingja flap adapted ito be folded over said section and the ,flowers carried thereby. ,y Y l. 3. A container for cut flowers and the like havinga first ilowersupporting section and a second flower supporting section connected toA one .edge `of the rst section and adapted to be folded there- .Overs each Ofad Sectionshaving, Vadiacentits upper end, means for-holding the flowers carried thereby in spaced apart, parallel relation, ,the flower holding, means on said second section "be- ,ing parallel .tobut spaced belowtheower-.holdine means of the first-section, said .container also having a flap adapted to be folded. over said second setion...

Y, 4 A container for cut flowers and the like formed-of water-proofedA paper having aivrst flower supporting section and a secondiower vsupporting section connectedto one edge of the first section and adaptedto be folded overthe first section, each of said sectionshaving, adja- -K Y, 5,. A ontainer for out flowers the like hav.- .insa first flower supportingA section and a second flower supporting,section connected to one edge oftherst section. and adapted to be folded over the. first section, each of said sections having, .adjacent itsnormallynpper edge, a .transversely extending foldforming. a rib, said ribs being pro- -vided with-transversely spaced .apart openings for receiving the stems, ofv the. flowers. vadjacent the lblooms thereof, therribof the second section being spaced from the first section and the openings Iof .one rib being staggered with respect to those of the vother rib, said container having means for covering vsaid-second section. afterthe same has .been folded. over thefirstsection.'V L.

6. A container for cut flowers and the like formed of water-proofed paper or the like having a first ower supporting section and a second flower supporting section connected to one edge of the first section and adapted to be folded over the rst section, each of said sections having, adjacent its normally upper edge, a transversely extending fold forming a V-shaped rib, said ribs being provided with transversely spaced apart openings of dumb-bell shape for receiving the stems of the flowers adjacent the blooms thereof, the rib of the second section being spaced from the first section and the openings of one rib being staggered With respect to those of the other rib, said container having a flap adapted to be folded over said second section after the second section is folded over the first section.

7. A container for cut flowers and thel like having a first section and a second section connected to the lower edge of the rst section and adapted to be folded over the first section, each of said sections having, adjacent its normally upper edge, a transverse fold forming a V-shaped rib, each of said ribs having transversely spaced apart openings provided with rounded ends and intermediate restricted portions, said ribs being spaced from one another and the openings of one rib being in staggered relation with respect to those of the other rib, said container having at each side edge of said first section flaps adapted to be folded over the second section after the second section has been folded over the first section.

8. A container for cut flowers and the like having a first section and a second section connected to the lower edge of the first section and adapted to be folded over the first section, each of said sections having, adjacent its normally upper edge, a transverse fold forming a V-shaped rib, each of said ribs having transversely spaced apart openings provided with rounded ends and intermediate restricted portions, said ribs being spaced from one another and the openings of one rib being in staggered relation with respect to those of the other rib, said container having at each side edge of said first section aps adapted to be folded over the second section after the second section has been folded over the first section, said second section having, at its normally upper edge, a piece of transparent material adapted to cover the blooms carried by the rst section, and said flaps having, at their upper edges, pieces of transparent material covering the blooms carried by the second section.

CLEMENs MoRTENsoN. l 

